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驳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
驳bóvariegatedHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
驳bóheterogeneousHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
驳bóto refuteHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
驳bóto contradictHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
驳bóto ship by bargeHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
驳bóa bargeHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
驳bóa lighter (ship)HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
驳bó>驳[bó]HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
驳bóvariegated, motley; to refuse, to disputeHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 马, rank #20739, Hard
bó(bo2) T2
  1. 1variegated
  2. 2heterogeneous
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March 24, 2026
驳(駁)bó(bo2)

The character 驳 (bó) primarily means 'to refute' or 'to contradict.' It is commonly used in contexts involving debates or discussions where one party challenges the claims of another. Additionally, it can refer to transportation by barge, highlighting its versatility in meaning.

Strokes7Radical马Frequency#20739DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, engaging in debates or discussions is often seen as a way to strengthen arguments and clarify misunderstandings. The concept of refuting ideas is integral to many traditional Chinese philosophical discussions, such as those found in Confucianism.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person on a barge (the shipping meaning) arguing with someone on shore. The barge symbolizes the character's form, while the act of arguing represents the notion of refuting or contradicting. This visual helps link the pronunciation 'bó' with the concept of debate.

Meanings of 驳

bó(bo2)
1variegated
2heterogeneous
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 驳

驳Simplified
駁Traditional
7Strokes
马Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#20739Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 驳

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Podcast: 驳

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AI Study Notes for 驳

Quick Contrast

驳 (bó) vs 反驳 (fǎnbó) — use 驳 for general refutation, while 反驳 specifically emphasizes counterarguments.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person on a barge (the shipping meaning) arguing with someone on shore. The barge symbolizes the character's form, while the act of arguing represents the notion of refuting or contradicting. This visual helps link the pronunciation 'bó' with the concept of debate.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 驳 with similar-sounding characters that convey disagreement but have different nuances. It is generally used in formal contexts, especially in academic or legal discussions. Be cautious with tone pronunciation; 'bó' should be pronounced with a rising tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 驳 is not included in the HSK levels, it shares roots with other words related to contradiction, such as 反对 (fǎnduì, to oppose). Students should focus on understanding its usage in debates and discussions to enhance their vocabulary at higher levels.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, engaging in debates or discussions is often seen as a way to strengthen arguments and clarify misunderstandings. The concept of refuting ideas is integral to many traditional Chinese philosophical discussions, such as those found in Confucianism.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 驳 with 驳回 (bóhuí), which means to reject or dismiss a proposal. For example, saying '我驳回了这个提议' (Wǒ bóhuíle zhège tíyì) is incorrect if intending to say 'I refuted this proposal'; instead, use 驳 to indicate contradiction.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 驳

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Etymology of 驳

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 马 represents the meaning and 爻 represents the sound. Simplified form of 駁.

Memory Hint

horse

Semantic (meaning)马
+
Phonetic (sound)爻
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 驳?

Decomposition of 驳

IDS Structure⿰马爻
驳Full Character
=
马Ma3
left
爻yao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 驳?

Write 驳

驳

Practice writing 驳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 驳

驳 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

一艘____船停在大约100码开外，等待着返海回航。

A barge was about a hundred yards away, waiting to return seaward.

Example Sentences for 驳 (10)

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1
一艘驳船停在大约100码开外，等待着返海回航。

yī sōu bó chuán tíng zài dà yuē100 100 mǎ kāi， wài ， děng dài zháo fǎn hǎi。

A barge was about a hundred yards away, waiting to return seaward.
2
你准备好反驳辩护人提出的问题了 吗 ?

nǐ zhǔn bèi hǎo fǎn bó biàn hù rén tí chū de wèn tí le?

Are you ready to plead against the case offered by the defendant?
3
两艘驳船中较近的那艘可能有一英里远.

liǎng sōu bó chuán zhōng jiào jìn de nà sōu kě néng yǒu yī yīng lǐ yuǎn.

The nearer of the two barges was perhaps a mile away.
4
她因受到挑衅而过失杀人的有罪答辩被驳回。

tā yīn shòu dào tiāo xìn ér guò shī shā rén de yǒu zuì dá biàn bèi bó huí。

Her plea of guilty to manslaughter through provocation was rejected.
5
清晨，天空呈现出斑驳的深灰色。

qīng chén， ， tiān kōng chéng xiàn chū bān bó de shēn huī。

In the mornings the sky appeared a heavy shade of mottled gray.
6
树下凉爽斑驳的光点

shù xià liáng shuǎng bān bó de guāng diǎn

the cool dappled light under the trees
7
“喂，我不知道你在说些什么，”拉索反驳道。

“ “， wèi ， wǒ bù zhī dào nǐ zài shuō xiē，” shí mó ，” lā suǒ。

"Hey, I don't know what you're talking about," Russo objected.
8
“拜托！”多特反驳道，“它们又便宜又管用。”

“ “ bài！” tuō ！” duō tè fǎn，“ bó dào ，“ tā mén yòu biàn yí。”

"For heaven's sake!" Dot expostulated. "They're cheap and they're useful."
9
戴高乐驳回了英国加入欧洲经济共同体的申请。

dài gāo lè bó huí le yīng guó jiā rù ōu zhōu jīng jì gòng tóng tǐ de shēn qǐng。

De Gaulle vetoed Britain's application to join the EEC.
10
“但是，彼得，事情并非那么简单，”戈德斯通语气坚决地驳斥道。

“ “ dàn， shì ，， bǐ dé ， shì qíng bìng fēi nà，” mó jiǎn dān ，” gē dé sī tōng yǔ qì jiān jué。

"But Peter, it's not that simple," Goldstone countered in a firm voice.

Cultural Notes for 驳

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, engaging in debates or discussions is often seen as a way to strengthen arguments and clarify misunderstandings. The concept of refuting ideas is integral to many traditional Chinese philosophical discussions, such as those found in Confucianism.

Word Family of 驳

Words Containing This Character19
驳回bóhuíto reject駁回
反驳fǎnbóto retort反駁
驳bóvariegated駁
驳斥to refute駁斥
辩驳to dispute辯駁
斑驳mottled斑駁
驳船barge駁船
批驳to criticize批駁
驳倒to refute駁倒
驳壳枪Mauser pistol駁殼槍
驳杂heterogeneous駁雜
斑驳陆离variegated斑駮陸離
驳运lighter駁運
拖驳barge拖駁
驳议to correct (in writing) sb's errors or misconceptions駁議
驳正to refute and correct駁正
驳嘴to quarrel駁嘴
驳复to refute駁復
驳面子to contradict sb to his face駁面子
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 驳回 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 驳

While both terms relate to refuting, 驳 is a more general term for contradiction, whereas 反驳 specifically means to counter or rebut an argument.